We have spent a lot of time over the last month or so exploring the roots of what it means to be an American. We have considered the following four perspectives during this time.
Thomas Jefferson - "The Declaration of Independence"
J. Hector St. John Crevecoeur - "What is an American?"
Ralph Waldo Emerson - "The American Scholar"
Henry David Thoreau - excerpt from Walden
In our final week of this semester (and into next semester), we will be looking at the other half of this essential question : Are Jefferson/ Crevecoeur/ Emerson/ Thoreau's ideals still viable or possible in modern America? Consider our current social, economic, and political climate as well as the role of technology in our lives.
Your tasks to explore this question are as follows:
Between now and the time you come to class on Thursday -- find a modern source that speaks directly to one of the main ideas presented in Jefferson, Crevecoeur, Emerson, or Thoreau. What modern perspective does your source offer? Your source may be a news article, an editorial, a cartoon, a fictional piece (like a novel excerpt, a short story, a poem), a film clip (less than 10 minutes), or a video interview (also less than 10 minutes).
On Thursday (and into Friday) - you will be asked to present your source and facilitate a 5 to 10 minute discussion of your source with the class. To prepare for this you will need to :
Be able to share your source visually -- either by projecting it on the board or by providing printed copies
Provide a brief summary of what perspective your source offers
Ask 2 to 3 questions of the class about the ideas your source presents
As a final step for Monday - you will write about your source and the ideas it presents in your final blog post for the semester.
In our final week of this semester (and into next semester), we will be looking at the other half of this essential question : Are Jefferson/ Crevecoeur/ Emerson/ Thoreau's ideals still viable or possible in modern America? Consider our current social, economic, and political climate as well as the role of technology in our lives.
Your tasks to explore this question are as follows: